Tag Archives: Orlando Theme Parks

I get the same questions every day from my guests traveling out to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. The question is, “How can we avoid the line at the parks”? The answer is short and sweet, get there early. If you get to the theme parks early, you will have accomplished the biggest task of your day. Getting there early before everyone gets there not only ensures that you won’t have to wait in long lines for the most popular rides, but it will also save you time from the hot Florida sun that will zap your energy level quick!

Most travelers like to wake up kind of early, stroll down to the lobby of their hotel or resort, have a cup of coffee, then head back up to get the rest of the family for breakfast. This takes up at least two hours in the morning and this does not even take in consideration the time needed to travel to the parks. Combine all of this with the crowds rolling in late and security checkpoint lines and bam, you are now in the thick of late morning traffic that everyone hates.

Getting there one hour before the park opens for example at Disney’s Magic Kingdom will not only give you a smooth and stress free experience, but will also get you a very special early morning performance from of all of Disney’s characters before being allowed into their park for the day. After the performance, greeters welcome guests in to enjoy Mainstreet USA for a short period before their rope drop. Many early morning guests then travel back to the top rides with no wait at all. One could ride at least four rides before really encountering any kind of real lines.

When it comes to the saying, “The early bird gets the worm”, this is exactly right when it comes to getting the most while at the theme parks. This method really works best for travelers who can get to bed early the night before and really try to hydrate the evening and morning before arriving at the parks. Waking up early really works best for travelers from Europe due to the time difference. A traveler from England has the clock on their side as they are five hours ahead of us, so the can wake up at 6 am and feel like they slept in until noon! Unfortunately this is not the case for us in the USA.

As you may have heard, Orlando is in the midst of a big face-lift. The theme parks are all hands on deck with construction and there seems to be no end in sight. The biggest addition to Orlando’s arsenal has to be Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. For those of you who do not know what Avatar is, it is a James Cameron movie that set box office records a few years back and is one of the most cutting edge movies ever made. So it goes without saying that Disney had to have this at one of their parks one day. Well that day is now and if you are visiting the Animal Kingdom look behind the Rainforest Cafe and you will see the floating lands of Pandora in the distance. This multi-million dollar project is set to open in 2017 and should be Disney’s newest big hit.

The next big addition to the theme parks will be Universal Orlando’s ~ Islands of Adventure with their Skull Island~ Reign of Kong attraction. The Kong fans were very disappointed when the famous ride in Universal Studios closed down back in 2002 and Universal never heard the end of it! Well the big shots at Universal heard their voices and now have brought the big guy back bigger and better but with a new location next door at Universal Studios sister park, Islands of Adventure. If you have ever been to this park, Kong will be located between Jurassic Park and Rip Saw Falls. He will look a little different from his once chimp looking self and more like the Peter Jackson’s version of the expansive remake of the 1933 classic.

Following the big competitors lead, SeaWorld Orlando has some big news as well. This park is not all about sea life but is becoming more about world record roller coasters! The newest addition to their lineup is Mako. Mako is not your average roller coaster. They deem it a hyper-coaster due to the fact that it will take its passengers over 70 miles per hour and over a mile long! Named for one of the ocean’s fastest known sharks, it will be Orlando’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster and will also have portions of the rise that will leave its passengers weightless. The coaster will be the new centerpiece to a whole new realm. The area will be fully surrounded by shark themed restaurants, shops and entertainment. This marks the third largest addition to SeaWorld followed by their Manta coaster and Kraken.

Probably the biggest project that is currently going on but is almost completed is the old Downtown Disney area now called Disney Springs. Disney has got it right this time with world class dining, shopping and entertainment. I think they learned their lesson with Pleasure Island and would like to just let Universal have that crowd with their Citywalk. With Disney’s new idea, one can have the time of their lives on the lakefront sampling everything from Iron Chef Morimoto’s sushi to drinks and appetizers at Jock Lindsey’s Hanger Bar. Not enough for you? Well how about sitting on the lakefront and watching the amphibious cars take passengers on a tour of the lake all the while having libations and mouth watering delicacies at the all new Boat House. After dinner and you are ready for more, head over for a game of billiards and bowling at the all new Splitsville. This is not your ordinary bowling alley back home. But then again nothing is ordinary in Orlando!

If you plan on visiting these new attractions and are looking for deals on your Disney tickets or Universal Studios tickets, call us toll free at 1-877-406-4836 to speak with a vacation planner.

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